considering move to BC
 

Currently in AB, and considering a move to BC.

The biggest turn offs are:

1. High cost of housing, combined with
2. Poor job market and salaries (at least as advertised) seem low for the cost of housing

This would be hard for my young ones. Am I looking at this incorrectly?

Re: considering move to BC
 

BC is a big place, it isn't just Vancouver and the Fraser valley which skews the house price stats. Obviously as you say, you need to get a balance between house prices and job availabilty- more jobs on the coast but higher house price.

Here in the Okanagan, there are still reasonable prices but well paid jobs aren't that easy to come by. Obviously it really depends what you do as to how available the jobs are and what you get paid -where you are currently working and living in AB?

Re: considering move to BC
 

No. You will hate it. Best stay where you are.

Re: considering move to BC
 

Probably not. Young people are moving a way, some to AB due to housing cost and earnings to cost of living.

Try Prince George?

Re: considering move to BC
 

Hi Fred,
What kind of work are you looking for?

Most of the best paying jobs in BC don't get advertised as they're not looking for dozens of applicants, they want to hand pick the candidates.

There are many places in BC where the cost of living is extremely affordable. Do you have any preference?

The stats (from the gov't of BC) claim solid employment growth in BC but it does seem that a lot of the unemployed from AB are moving to fill those spots.

Re: considering move to BC
 

Apparently Kelowna is the second hardest place in Canada to find a job.

Presumably unless you work in retail. It's one big shopping mall....

Re: considering move to BC
 

Chilliwack isn't an easy place to find a job either. Especially if your looking for something not near min. wage.


While most here likely own, Kelowna is a bad place for renters, low vacancy and high rents.

Re: considering move to BC
 

[QUOTE=JonboyE;
I agree. After being in BC for almost 6 of my 59 yrs in Canada. I would agree. I am thinking seriously of relocating back to Ontario or perhaps even back to UK, even though that would be more difficult.
I have lived in Victoria, for close to 6 yrs.. I am not happy here. Not the place I thought I would retire to Things have changed and are continuing to do so Not I think, for the better

Re: considering move to BC
 

[QUOTE=Largo;12114198][QUOTE=JonboyE;
I agree. After being in BC for almost 6 of my 59 yrs in Canada. I would agree. I am thinking seriously of relocating back to Ontario or perhaps even back to UK, even though that would be more difficult.
I have lived in Victoria, for close to 6 yrs.. I am not happy here. Not the place I thought I would retire to Things have changed and are continuing to do so Not I think, for the better[/QUOTE]

Oh Largo, what an interesting response. Would you mind telling us what you dislike about Victoria? We nearly went there instead of here, and I often which I had done...possibly mistakenly.

Re: considering move to BC
 

Your right that both of these exist in unison in a lot of BC but you cannot compare it directly with a province which has seen, IMO, artificially high salaries and unsustainable growth in them fuelled by the oil and gas industry. This is only an issue now that oil and gas is in a dip.

Re: considering move to BC
 

One of the biggest turnoffs is the cost of vehicle insurance and being forced to get at least basic vehicle insurance at whatever ICBC decides to charge. You can get the rest of your cover from Canadian Direct and save a bit but for basic you can't shop around in BC as you can in Alberta.
House prices vary a lot. They're not bad on mid-and upper Vancouver Island but BC has a nasty thing called a "transfer tax" which the government charges when you buy property. Rental property is in short supply with the way the BC government acts, it will be years before there's any government funded affordable housing.
Other turn offs: about five months of miserable depressing rain in coastal communities and the increasing danger from forests fires in the interior. After living here for four years, I actually miss the crisp sunny days and blue skies of Alberta.
Jobs paying more than minimum wage are hard to come by. Most are in retail or are dead-end service jobs.
Best of luck

Re: considering move to BC
 

[QUOTE=Largo;12114198][QUOTE=JonboyE;
I agree. After being in BC for almost 6 of my 59 yrs in Canada. I would agree. I am thinking seriously of relocating back to Ontario or perhaps even back to UK, even though that would be more difficult.
I have lived in Victoria, for close to 6 yrs.. I am not happy here. Not the place I thought I would retire to Things have changed and are continuing to do so Not I think, for the better[/QUOTE]

I think Victoria is a fine little city. What's not to like? I think I'm right in saying the South VI gets half the rain of Vancouver (is that right?). Yes it is. Just googled it. Average Vancouver rain 1457mm PA. Average Victoria 705mm PA. I don't see professionals here earning less than elsewhere? Maybe they are. I don't know whether fortunate or not, but my wife and I certainly don't have to settle for anything like minimum wage - and we both work on the Island. Housing is, perhaps, a rather subjective thing. Depends where you came from (i.e. London or SE England). We have a house twice the size of our old London place and it cost considerably less - so it's all relative.

Re: considering move to BC
 

Quote:

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Originally Posted by leith (Post 12116613)

One of the biggest turnoffs is the cost of vehicle insurance and being forced to get at least basic vehicle insurance at whatever ICBC decides to charge. You can get the rest of your cover from Canadian Direct and save a bit but for basic you can't shop around in BC as you can in Alberta.

---

On the flip side though, there's no MOT cost, or road fund licence to pay. Gas is cheaper too.

Re: considering move to BC
 

Wow, you don't buy tags for your plates or have safety inspections out there ?

Re: considering move to BC
 

No safety inspections in BC unless its a car coming to BC from out of province, but once in province none needed.

Tags are part of insurance renewal process, when you renew your ICBC basic coverage, you get a new tag. Cost is built into your ICBC payment.